


His name was Dire Crowley

by Xantya24



Series: Snippets of Life [4]
Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Character Study, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:47:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26323630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xantya24/pseuds/Xantya24
Summary: There is this story I want to tell. There is this old magician who has a pet crow with him. He resides in this tall old tower overlooking this magical place. He taught many students and shared his knowledge with them.His name was Dire Crowley.
Series: Snippets of Life [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1867738
Comments: 12
Kudos: 37





	His name was Dire Crowley

**Author's Note:**

> A fic my friend requested since she loves Crowley. This old bird was hard to write but I enjoy writing it also. Somewhat of a character study since we don't know much about him. So how the player goes back to their own universe is just what I thought only. So take it with a pinch of salt, hahaha. Maleficent was fun to write and yes I took her personality from the live action one. Needed a bit of personality rather than being all evil all the time. 
> 
> Ignore the spacing. Something went wrong and I'm tired to edit it. hahaha. Enjoy this piece.

Crowley sat in his chair. He smooths his table out and looks at the pristine cleanliness of it. Today would be his first day of teaching students in this newly built school for magicians. 

Night Raven College. 

He was excited to teach these younglings the wonders of magic and what not. Thus he starts his first day with a straight back and a slight skip in his steps. With a smile, he entered his first class. Students from all over Twisted Wonderland country sat in rows. All from different dorms. The teachers are the people who first established the dorms which would later be mementos. Crowley begins his class. 

Some refused to listen while some looked bored. Some looked excited and some looked like they were sleeping. Of course he let it pass since it’s the first day of school. The students thought they could take advantage of him but alas they didn’t realize that this bird was sly. 

“Oopps”, he dodged one of the Savannah Claw student’s fist. “My, my. Such a wonderful punch. As expected of the clan from the savannah!”, Crowley grinned. 

Scar rolled his eyes and snarled at the student. The students then felt how powerful Crowley really is when one student decided to ditch his class, right in front of him. Crowley tapped his magic pen and shot an earth spell at the student leaving the class. The vines then wrapped around the student and pulled him into class before dumping him into his seat. The vines stayed locked around the struggling student. 

“Now”, Crowley grinned. “Let’s begin shall we? First lesson of the day is to conjure a simple earth spell”. 

Crowley explained the working of the spell and the uses it has. Students started to get interested when he demonstrated. He explained the weakness of the spells and how to counteract it. 

The day went by fast. Crowley collapsed at his desk, satisfied to see the students’ faces interested in learning. He was determined to make sure these students pass and graduate from here. Crowley gently stroked his pet crow who nuzzled him. 

~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ 

Another 3 years gone and a new batch arrived. 

More students have been coming to NRC. Crowley was then promoted to permanent staff by the teaching council. He felt pride swell up in him. He taught his students with pride and wit. Watched them grow from not knowing anything to knowing complex spells. He wouldn’t say he was biased to some who were excellent. 

A little competition wouldn’t be so bad. Thus he proposed a magic test to the staff first. Maleficent was very interested. Each test is based on magic attributes. If students were paying attention to the lessons, it wouldn’t be harmful at all. Plus, 

“There would be prize money if you and your team can get to S rank”. 

The looks on the students changed into one of excitement. They started discussing with their friends. Prize money, why not? 

“Oh, before I forget. If you can get the highest score for the test and get the S rank, the teams with the highest scores and highest rank will have a week off”. 

The school definitely erupted with excitement. This would be the first kind of test they ever had. Each teacher picked out their best student in each element. Crowley oversaw the exam and was pleased to see many students achieving high scores and climbing up the ranks. 

As promised the teams with the highest scores did get their one week off while the rest had to study hard to win the next exam. Crowley was really pleased with this batch of students. 

The day they all graduated, Crowley felt like crying under his mask. His students waved at him goodbye and wished him for the new year. Crowley smiled widely at them. Another batch gone, a new batch arrived. 

The cycle starts again but time is always never kind. He has watched his fellow staff leave the school also. He has seen new faces, some old faces and some even returning faces. Crowley straightened his vest and donned his coat. Let the lesson begin. 

Each year is the same but each batch ends up being different from the last. Each batch has him getting disappointed each time they graduate. When it used to be the ones who excelled in their studies and became fine magicians, now they are arrogant and prefer to show off than study hard. 

Crowley has lost count the number of times he has to break up the fights or stop them from getting into trouble. The teaching council called him in and in a state of mockery, promoted him to principal. He should be excited but he felt nothing. He loves the school too much to even leave it or hand it over to someone else. 

He thought if he was the headmaster, he could change things. It was never easy to change things. He upgraded each dorm but the more time passed, the less students started to come in. His enemy school, Royal Sword Academy has stolen the spot for no.1 school. Crowley will never forget the feeling of being defeated. 

In all of his teaching life, this is the first taste of defeat. He had gone back with a sour taste to his mouth after the teaching meeting. Oh how he wanted to wipe those smug looks from RSA. 

He growled to himself that he swore to defeat RSA. To gain back NRC’s number one spot of best school. NRC also had the best magicshift team. Most of their players were from the Savannah Claw dorm and they always have sponsors to sponsor them. 

Crowley tasted the first taste of victory when NRC entered the magicshift inter school tournament and defeated their enemy, RSA. From that day on, RSA and NRC always had their rivalry for everything. Be it academics to sports to being number one spot. 

Crowley was pleased with his students. Then the next batch came in. It was disappointing. One dorm started to get less and less students in it. 

The Ramshackle dorm. 

Crowley watched it from being full of life with students in it to now being an empty dorm. Cobwebs and dust accumulated. It didn’t take long for the ghost to inhibit and scare students who used that place to ditch classes. 

Crowley felt the bitter disappointed then he got angry. For the past 50 years, he’s been feeling angry and disappointed in his students. Continuously seeing them fail and letting their pride take over. It didn’t take long for NRC to earn its reputation for producing bad students. 

“It will never be the same”, Maleficent told him one day when she visited his office. 

The old crow looked at her with a displeased look from his mask. The fairy queen flicked her finger on the beak. 

“What do you expect? RSA takes in all those goody two shoes magicians and turns them to brilliant ones. Where was our pride when we had excellent students? We used to be the top”, her green hues slid over to Crowley stirring his tea. “Retire Crowley. You’ve been here for half a century. It’s about time you rest?”. 

“Rest? Not when the school’s reputation is at stake now”, Crowley huffed. “Where was our pride when we had those students”. 

“How many batches has it been?”. 

“I lost count. Too many but~”, Crowley sang. 

Maleficent narrowed her lime green hues. “What are you planning?”. 

“Remember the unified test. It seems like the students fight among themselves because of pride. So what if they work together”, Crowley said gleefully. 

“And it will fail, Dire Crowley”, Maleficent rolled her eyes. “I will laugh at you when the results are out”. 

Thus true to Maleficent’s word, the unified exam went sideways. Crowley was not even pleased at all that he really thought of closing down the school. One year, it happened that no one could understand. 

The forming of Unique Magic. 

One student in NRC was the first student to form their unique magic. Crowley was thankful that it happened in the school grounds and it was handled well. The teaching council was fascinated with it. Does it mean it’s a new form of magic or something else? 

“A new form of magic. A unique ability that only one individual possesses”, Maleficent told him over tea when she came again. 

“And you know this how?”. 

“What do you take me for? Who created the breakdowns of each element?”, she raised an immaculate eyebrow and gave him one of her toothy grins. 

Crowley sighed but drank his tea. Best not to argue with one of the powerful witches in all of twisted wonderland. It’s sad that it’s just the two of them now from their teaching days. Maleficent went off with a sparkles of fireflies.

Then with that, Crowley was the first to understand the uses of unique magic. Each student has different unique magic for things. Some are environmental or some are just miscellaneous. The students were excited at getting their unique magic while some were disappointed in theirs. Of course each student would be different. 

NRC climbed back up the ranks again as one of the schools to understand the uses and forming of unique magic. They were the only ones who could help the students control theirs and soon NRC became the only school that produces students with unique magic. Nothing will stay quiet and soon the teaching council wanted the notes of how to detect the forming of the ability. Crowley had to give up the notes to them and it was distributed to all other schools after that. 

One year, Crowley had two interesting students. Mozus Trein and Lilia Vanrouge . Mozus Trein was a quiet but stern looking individual. Crowley was fascinated with him. The only other studious student he has and that student loves the history of magic. A subject Crowley teaches at times. Lilia was like Maleficent. A fae with extraordinary magic but he was playful like all fairies are. 

The two graduated from NRC. Mozus Trein graduated from NRC as the top student. Crowley was proud of him but thought that he would never see him. Imagine his surprise when he got the resume of Mozus Trein to be one of his teachers. 

“Hello sir or should I be calling you Crowley now?’, Trein smiled. 

Crowley simply smiled at him and welcomed him with open arms. Crowley likes having Trein around only he doesn’t like his cat, Lucius. Trein taught his students with strict teaching, making sure none failed. The students were terrified of him. Crowley was pleased to see them score in their tests. 

Crowley and Trein ended up forming a friendship with them having tea now and then. Crowley’s little group of two started to expand into three and then four and now five. All were his former students. 

Ashton Vargas was their P.E teacher. 

Divus Crewel took over the Alchemy lessons since he was really good with it since his student days. 

Sam was their resident shopkeeper. 

How he has everything in stock was something Crowley will never understand. This little band of teachers he has who were all his former students pleased him. He never once told Maleficent that his old heart has been feeling lonely ever since she stopped coming over and all of his friends have died. 

He thought each batch of students could get worse even their winning team for magicshift was losing. He was close to giving up even with Trein simply saying, 

“Next batch might be different”. 

Crowley wanted to believe it but he has stopped believing. Then when the new batch of students came in, he noticed he has some interesting ones. All came from the privileged life of course. Some were sons from high ranking magicians or ambassadors. Some were actually princes from different kingdoms. Some were lords or earls. He also saw those from the lower class. Some were from a simple family of bakers, cooks or servants to the rich families. 

Crowley has one interesting student from the Savannah Claw dorm. An actual prince but one who was loathed. 

Leona Kingscholar. 

That prince took one look at Crowley and smirked at him. Crowley has done some unkind deeds before and he always finds Leona lurking in the corner watching. Leona was brilliant and his unique magic was one of destructive nature. He thought Leona would graduate but the lion skipped lessons yet passed the exams with flying colours. A genius that Crowley had gleefully rubbed his hands with. 

Leona repeated his year again and became the dorm head. Crowley ended up getting more interesting students. 

Riddle Rosehearts. 

Azul Ashengrotto. 

Kalim al-Asim. 

Vil Schoenhiet. 

Idia Shroud. 

Malleus Draconia. 

These people became dorm heads not from using their money or so but from their skills and talents. Crowley couldn’t have been proud of them. 

Then one year he has another interesting student. One he can’t explain from where and how. Their name was also neutral sounding that seemed not interesting but his senses told him this year would be a different year. 

That student has no magic ability but has a familiar with them. A non-magic user but could unite the proud magicians in his school. 

The first time he heard of it was when the two first years, that fiery familiar and the non-magic student. They went to look for the fairy stone in the mines at the back of the school. A creature they found and they worked together to defeat the creature. He heard how they explained what they did and how they managed to get the stone. He watched them high five each other and became friends. 

‘ _What an interesting student’,_ he thought, smiling away under his mask. 

He tasked that student to be their official photography while paying for their expenses. 

“Aren’t I a kind person?”, he gleefully told them. With their unsure expressions sure told him that they don’t believe him. 

Well, it’s his school. The school year got interesting when they had their first overblot case. Riddle Roseheart was the first victim. Overblot cases were rare to happen but they do happen at times and were dealt with. Overblot was something that Crowley wished his students to never have. He remembered hearing of cases outside of schools. His first priority was to get the students to safety. 

Calling all teachers to help evacuate the dorm and get the students to safety. He didn’t want to leave that group of students to handle it but he has no choice. 

“Headmaster! Believe in us!”, Yuu, the non-magic user yelled. 

That was the first time he heard that being said to him. He was slightly torn but for now he has to trust this student. He left the overblot case to them and rushed to get the students out. When they managed to get the students to safety, he rushed back to the others. He prayed they would be ok. 

“Headmaster!”, Ace and Yuu cried out, waving at him. 

His old heart was beating in joy. They are alive. He watched as Trey Clover and Cater Diamond helped Riddle up. To say he was surprised that they survived and not only that, they defeated Riddle also. One of his top students. 

“Whoot! Prefect san! You were so cool!”, Deuce cried out, eyes sparkling. 

“Did you see me! Did you see me!!”, Grim cried out in excitement too, re-enacting the whole situation. 

Maybe, Crowley thought. This student can unite these proud magicians and bring back what it was before. 

When they thought the overblot case was done, they had another. From one student, Crowley expected from the start but wasn’t sure when it would happen. 

Leona Kingscholar. 

He did pity that student. He has watched that student excelled in his subjects but from what he has heard, the court was never kind to him. He has seen Leona’s grades from being the very top student with full marks dropped down to 0 marks. To think, Leona would use such dirty tricks to win the magicshift game but deep down, Crowley understood him. Why he would go to such lengths. 

But to hear how he went into overblot made him pity Leona even more. He doesn’t choose favourites but Leona reminded him of the older days when batches were failing. Yuu and their usual gang with the help of Riddle and Cater managed to bring Leona back from his overblot. Crowley explained to Leona and he watched that student’s face morphed from one too tired to shocked before he sighed. 

He was about to let him go to the infirmary and disqualified the savannah team when Riddle and a few others stepped up. A revenge match to what Leona and Ruggie did. Crowley looked at Leona to gauge his reaction but the lion simply smirked at them and chuckled. 

“Fine then. Bring it on”, Leona grinned. 

Even with his overblot, Leona still managed to stand strong on the field. Crowley didn’t like it but he could say that with Leona guiding his team and defeating the others, the lion is quite strong. After all, he did promise Grim and Yuu to let them join the magicshift team game when they discover who was causing this. Crowley smiled a small smile. 

Truly this is an interesting year. The year got even more interesting when more events happened. There were so many that Crowley simply raised an eyebrow to it. 

Fairy Gala was one of it. That was an interesting sight. He really didn’t want to deal with it so he gave it to the dorm heads to deal with it with a slight dash of bribery. The other event was the ghost marriage. He truly didn’t expect Idia Shroud of all people to be chosen as the groom. 

He and the dorm heads were trying their best to not laugh but what could they say. It’s Idia. Malleus was another one that was not there. Crowley knew and he did promise Maleficent that he would look out for her grandson. Lest she would come down to NRC and smite all of them for hurting her grandson. 

Then they had another overblot case. This time it was Azul. That mastermind student had Crowley’s feathers ruffled. He even used a dirty trick to bribe him too! But Crowley couldn’t say no to one of the brilliant students. So he conveniently shoved it to Yuu to handle while he researched on how to get that student back home. 

Just that at the same time, he was called to see the teaching council. He should have expected it. He couldn’t keep the overblot cases quiet. The council screamed and yell at him. They even fought among themselves to make the decision of shutting NRC down. After all, the students were under his care. To let them go into overblot is a stain to their reputation. How would it look like to the parents for the next batch of students? 

Crowley clenched his staff tightly. The more he hears them scream, the more he wanted to blast them with magic. How dare they say such things about his students!? 

Have they not looked at their files? They don’t know them like he does. They don’t know them like how he has seen them struggle with their own problems but still tried to enjoy school life. They don’t know how some of them are brilliant or plain genius in their studies. They don’t know how athletic some of his students are or how smart they are in running their own business that Crowley let it slide. 

They don’t know how some are just pure cunning in getting what they want. In executing their plans. They have not seen how one student managed to unite the dorms together in helping each other to stop their overblot friend. Yes, they all have terrible personalities but they are all just misguided students. 

They don’t know how much his teachers work to make sure these students excel in their studies. Crowley almost wanted to scream at them but all he did was grit his teeth. Thus he made a promised to them that the overblot situation is controlled and that it won’t happen again. 

He left the council with a stomp in his steps. How do you even tell when it will happen when his students were so good at hiding it until they couldn’t take it? He was half glad that all of the overblot situations happened in his school and not outside. Crowley got back to his office. Trein and Crewel was waiting for him. Their looks said it all. 

He thought it couldn’t get any worse but the situation was controlled. Yuu managed to control it. He should reward that student he thought. He needed a long vacation. He looked at his calendar and realized the school winter break is here soon. All the students would go back but some would stay in the campus also. The ghost would help take care of the students and the school was self-sufficient enough. 

He gave Yuu his extra phone and told them it’s only emergencies to call. Then he left for his short vacation. Oh how he enjoyed the summer sun on him at the beach. He just hoped nothing happened when he’s away. 

So, when they all returned. Yuu gave Crowley one long look before sighing and muttering of how they are not the school’s resident therapist. Crowley wanted to laugh at that. The student did a good job handling it all. To hear another overblot situation happened but nothing big happened. That was 4 situations but he prayed the council won’t call him up for this again. 

The school year began anew. More events keep on happening that Crowley was sure that NRC is just cursed. 

“The puppies are enjoying themselves”, Crewel told him when he handed Crowley his brew for the old bird’s joint. “Each event seemed to bring them closer”, he pointed out. 

Sure enough, Crowley can see that each dorm has gotten close to another dorm or it would be a mix. Yuu was always in the middle of it all. That student is like the glue for all of them. It would be sad to send them home but he did promise Yuu. 

Crowley searched and searched for any spells to send Yuu back but it was near impossible. Then the council called him up again. This time they were interested in Yuu. Crowley had to fight to keep Yuu in NRC. He was getting annoyed and fed up with them. Each time it’s always something new for them to either blame him or NRC or just to try and shut NRC down. They started putting more pressure on him. To make sure NRC has students that can rival with RSA. 

Crowley slammed his office door closed. The pressure was getting to him. Another overblot case. This time with Vil but Yuu handled it. He started pushing more cases to Yuu and the dorm heads. He kept on pushing it to them and kept on disappearing. 

Trein and Crewel noticed the changes. Ashton had once told them that he saw Crowley slicing wood at the back. They started to get worried. This was unlike the teacher they knew. Crowley was slowly but surely breaking into pieces. He couldn’t rest and his crystal was slowly changing colour. Trein approached Lilia and asked him to call Maleficent to come. 

Lilia was unsure of how but he tried. Crowley was in his room, hands in his hair and his cup of tea sitting beside him. 

“You look like a mess”, her voice rang out. “So this is what happens when I leave you alone”. 

Crowley’s head shot up. “What are you doing here, Maleficent?”. 

“Lilia called. You seemed to be in a tight situation. I heard the council has been pressuring you”. 

“Those old coots think they can shut NRC down just from the overblot situations”. 

“Overblot? How many has it been? 5? That’s still a relatively small number compared to what I hear”. 

“The council made it seem like it’s a lost case. But these children just need guidance”, Crowley groaned. 

“True. How is my grandson? I hear he’s been ‘forgotten’”. 

“......... Not forgotten. The students are just terrified of him. Well he does have the third years who speak to him and fight with him”. 

“So he has friends besides Lilia? Interesting”. 

“Truly”. 

“Care for a flight, Crowley? Like the good old days?”, she said with a slight twinkle in her eyes. 

A challenge. He loved a good challenge. They both took to the skies after classes. For once Crowley felt free and his worries melted away just for that day. 

His search to send Yuu back became fruitful one day. There was once a non-magic person appeared and the magicians tried everything to send that person back. What he read made him question the process. Is it true? Will it work? 

Questions ran through his mind and he for once was at lost at what to do. He called Maleficent to come since she’s the only one he can confide with. 

“Is this true? It sounded like it was from your time”, he said. 

“How rude. Telling me my age and calling me old at the same time. No wonder you are alone”, Maleficent shot back. 

Crowley glared at her through his mask. The high queen of The Valley of Thorns rolled her eyes and took the book where Crowley showed her. She read the text and hummed. 

“Yes. We did have 1 beastie. Dreadful little thing but what the text says is true”. 

“In order to send them back to ‘their world’...”. 

“They have to die in this world. Think of it like a link. A dream perhaps to put it. To them this is simple but a dream. Their minds would still be intact and then they would wake up in their own world or so”. 

“Or so? Did it work?”. 

“We don’t know. We never knew but the little beastie never came back so I like to think it did work”. 

“That child is still my student”. 

“So you’re going to keep it? Crowley, the council already wants that beastie. What can you do to protect that little beastie?”. 

“They are still a first years in NRC. That familiar still needs to be controlled. They need more guidance to fully control it before…”. 

“I hope you know what you are doing, my friend”. 

~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~

They had two more cases of overblot. Idia Shroud but the last one hurt Crowley the most. He promised her he would look after her grandson. Malleus was the last one to overblot. They couldn’t figure out what caused it but Yuu almost managed to get him back. The dorm heads listened to their command and worked together to bring Malleus back. 

“Heh, welcome to the club, Draconia”, Leona smirked, offering his hand to Malleus. 

Malleus took his hand and was pulled up. Everyone let out a sigh of relief and Crowley was summoned to the council. This time was the worst. 

They threw jabs at him. Insulted him and his students. They even called some of his students terms and names he didn’t like. He wanted to blast them with lighting magic and freeze them with ice. They were just children, he wanted to scream. 

Children who have powerful magic. NRC was the only place that they felt like home to them. Crowley left the council with a warning. He knows he shouldn’t mess it up again but this was too much. Blaming his teachers’ incompetent when they were doing their very best in teaching the students. He knows it’s true that NRC has some of the best teachers compared to RSA. 

Crewel was highly sought out for his brilliance in alchemy. Trein was receiving calls and letters to teach in many schools and universities. Ashton was being looked out for training sport teams. His teachers were the best and to say they were incompetent made Crowley’s blood boil. 

He arrived in NRC’s field to see all the dorms having an inter dorm magic shift match. A free one just to play it for fun. The teams were mixed around and Crowley felt his heart mend a bit. He brought back the unified exam to see how his students fare. 

To say he was proud of his students when many scored high scores. They even managed to get SSS rank. A feat that was rare and hard to get. He gave the whole school a week off. The students cheered and enjoyed their sudden one week off. Crowley was proud. 

He watched the third years graduate with confident smirks and stances. Their dorms cheering for them. Those same 2nd years became 3rd years and the same 1st years became 2nd years. Crowley watch them grow and change. His students, this whole batch made him proud. They brought back the ranks for NRC. They became no.1 and Crowley felt extremely proud. 

But all good things never seem to stay for him. Yuu had asked to go home even though they had the best 3 years of being in this magic school. Crowley looked at them with sad eyes but gave them a simple pat on the head. He promised them and picked his words carefully. 

“I will send you back but on one condition”. 

Yuu looked at him with quizzical eyes. 

“Don’t forget this old bird and the times you were here”. 

Yuu stared at him with wide eyes before crashing into him. They gave him a tight hug. Even though Crowley had been shoving all the problems to them but he did care for all. Yuu has seen it and has felt it too. When he planned to send Yuu back, the council called for him. 

Crowley had sent an invitation to all former dorm heads and students who are friends with Yuu. They had all arrived with different degrees of saying goodbye. Trein, Crewel, Ashton and Sam came to send Yuu off too. Crowley only never told them how it was supposed to be done. A secret, he vow to take to his grave. 

The council ordered him to keep Yuu here. Crowley was flabbergasted at their thinking. Just because a non-magic user who has a familiar and could command his magic students to work together is a tool to be used. 

Crowley felt anger boil in his blood. For years he has kept his mouth shut. He has forgotten about his crystal fogging. Over the years it started to take on a darker colour and now he has truly forgotten about it. He has used his magic in teaching, in guiding his students, in repairing his beloved school. 

Little did he know that this batch would be his proudest and last batch to have. 

His crystal broke when the council demanded him to give Yuu to them. The pressure, the insults, the jabs, the degradation he has felt for so many years. For almost a century he has felt it or maybe even longer. They did say he is almost as old as Maleficent. 

Crowley growled at them and then - 

.

.

.

.

.

..

.

.

.

.

.

**_ He snapped.  _ **

~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~ 

The former students were having a fun time celebrating and enjoying themselves when they heard a loud crash. The whole building trembled. The former dorm heads ran out to see and what they saw was something they couldn’t believe. 

A creature so dark roared at them. Black blood dripped over it. Tendrils of smoke curled and coiled around it. The creature snarled and groaned but squawked at them. Their ears felt like it was going to pop or burst open from the sound. 

“It’s ink”, Leona said, his sensitive nose picked up the smell. 

Ruggie and Jack agreed too. Smelling the black blood drip with a splat. Yuu stared at the creature with wide eyes. 

“How? Who?”. 

No one could answer. 

“Wait, where’s the headmaster?”, Ace shouted. 

Yuu looked back at the creature and realized something. 

“No...It can’t be…..Headmaster?”, Yuu whispered but all heard it. 

Everyone shot their gazes to the creature. 

“No, impossible”, Trein whispered, eyes so wide. “He overblot? Why?”. 

To hear their beloved teacher or not so beloved teacher, overblot and was destroying his school. They all took out their magic pens or staff. Shooting magic at him to try and bring their teacher back but none of it could work. Each spell was deflected easily like a brush off shoulder kind. Yuu watched as Leona and Malleus was slammed down into the ground from a gust of strong winds and Crowley’s wings. 

The creature let out a loud cry and Yuu felt like their heart would break. The cry was hoarse and broken almost like Crowley himself was crying. Yuu couldn’t take it. They watch as their friends were defeated by Crowley’s magic. Yuu took Grim off his shoulder and hugged the cat. 

“Yuu?”, Grim’s voice sounded confused. 

“Hey, remember that you’re the greatest and finest magician, yea?”. 

“What are you?”. 

“Take care Grim”. 

Grim and the rest watched in horror as Yuu ran straight to Crowley. Yuu knew how to get back. They never told Crowley that they knew how to get back. It stung to see their teacher become like this. The others reached out to grab Yuu, to pull them back into safety. Yuu dodged all their attempts and ran straight to Crowley. 

“HEADMASTER”, Yuu screamed. “I KNOW HOW TO GET BACK! SO PLEASE! COME BACK!”. 

Crowley turned his head to Yuu. He snarled and his tail feather trashed around. Slamming what used to be a field. Parts of NRC had collapsed from his roar. Yuu could see Crowley hurting. They could see the pain in his glowing yellow eyes. 

“Come back, headmaster”, Yuu stretched his hand out. 

Crowley stilled for a bit to leaned forward. His beak barely touched Yuu’s outstretched hand when his student suddenly jerked. His student’s body jerked and fell forward. Crowely tried to catch his student but failed. Yuu crashed to the ground with a stake of ice pierced right through. 

People yelling. Screams echoed around and Crowley roared. 

The council had heard and rushed over to gain control of the situation. They didn’t realize what they've done. Crowley thrashed and snarled. Roared and cried. Black ink spilled more and his powers grew.

But alas the bird was old and he was tired of living his life. Living in this pressured life. He wanted it to end. He wanted to simply watch his student grow and become great magicians. 

Maleficent landed with a soft touch. Her wings folded behind her and her eyes shot a harsh glare at the council before looking back at Overblot Crowley. 

“Look at you, my old friend”, she whispered. “Mallues”, she called. 

Malleus looked at his grandmother. The situation was becoming worse. Yuu was trapped in Crowley’s clawed feet and he was snarling at everything. A beast who was terrified and was protecting its own. 

“Gather all of the powerful magicians from NRC”. 

“That’s…”. 

“Heh. Powerful. What do you take us for? The low life with no ranks?”, Leona snarked. 

“My, you do sound just like Scar. Descendent of Scar”, Maleficent smirked. 

Leona looked puzzled at that. The former dorm leads gathered around and Maleficent felt like she had her former friends when they first built NRC. Each somewhat of the descendent of her former friends. 

“Well, well. We have to seal him off. He’s too far gone to return”. 

Together with all of their powers, Maleficent and the rest conjured up the most powerful spells and shot at Crowley. He screeched in pain and the more spells they shot, the harder he went down until he was barely moving. 

Maleficent tapped her staff and her crystal glowed. The ground started shaking and then vines of thorns grew. They wrapped around NRC’s building. Weaving together until they couldn’t see anything from the other side. The vines were thick and sharp. The thorns were deadly and would stab you right through. 

“Wait, what about Yuu!?’, Grim cried. 

“Your friend has returned to their world. It’s a price to pay. Crowley knew”, she explained, not once she took her eyes off the vines sealing Crowley away.

They heard Crowley screeched and tried to break free. The thorns did their job blocking him and trapping him. They can hear him cry out. Maleficent felt sad. To see her last remaining friend, reduce to this. 

“Goodbye my old friend. It is time you sleep well”, she softly said. 

They heard Crowley gave one last caw until it was silent. They know he is still alive. Each of his former students received a single black feather. A reminder of their teacher they all knew. 

“The stubborn old bird won’t leave”, she said. 

“He loves this school”, said Trein. 

“And this would be his last batch”, Crewel rolled the feather in his fingers. 

“Sleep well, my old friend”, Maleficent muttered. 

And NRC was never built ever again. 

~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~ 

Years have passed and the school is gone. NRC is now filled with thorns and no one has managed to get through. They say an evil beast resides there. Some say an old spirit is trapped in there. Many rumours and stories were spread around but only those who knew of the school and the real reason kept it quiet. 

It became a tradition in a way. 

Every year just before the year changes. Former NRC students who knew Crowley came to visit. They would leave flowers for him and when it became dark, they would cast little magic lights that would seep through the thorns into the middle. 

Crowley never changed back but each year he waits for his students. The smell of flowers would fill his lungs and he would watch the dark sky be littered with little lights. 

Some students say they can still hear his voice. Some say they can still remember his guidance and some would say, 

“He was an old bird but was one of the best teachers”. 

There was one student who some remembered. They never saw that student again but they knew that student had returned home safely. 

“ _There is this story I want to tell. There is this old magician who has a pet crow with him. He resides in this tall old tower overlooking this magical place. He taught many students and shared his knowledge with them._

_His name was **Dire Crowley”.**_

  
  
  



End file.
